We
often see people, planning for their spiritual evolution.
Some of them are of the view that, spiritual practices
required for evolution, can only be initiated or started
after attaining a certain age and physical condition.
From my own experience and going through some of the available
spiritual literature, I can say that spiritualism cannot
be planned in this manner. We can plan for our personal
and professional progress, but we cannot plan love or
experience of God with such methodologies. It is like
a spontaneous organic growth which generates out of love
and is not built on logic alone. The entire human society
has still not managed to produce a single Perfect Master
from the intellectual class. Intellect by itself is a
self-protecting, self-limiting and self-expansive propensity
because of ego or “I” factor. Therefore one
should try to shun his ego and mentally request the Master
like Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, to lead one in the spiritual
path.

We
can all see that ego in every form is self destructive
and limiting in nature. Of all forms of ego, spiritual
ego is the worst. We often see people starting to do pious
work for Baba out of sheer love, but gradually the achievements
take the form of ego and become a deterrent in spiritual
progress. For example while serving in the temple if we
nurture ego in our mind, then the temple becomes a place
where the quality of love and togetherness is disturbed.
Sometimes it is also seen that people show off their special
relationship with Baba, which is definitely not the case.
Spiritual evolution cannot be based on a competitive spirit.

In
the present times a modern man cannot do Yoga or Yagya,
so the simplest approach is to be in a constant mental
communion or to keep Ishta or Guru closest to one's consciousness
to engage in “Swadhayay,” “Atma chintan”
and “Satsang.” A lot of literature is available
on Baba in which Baba's advice towards the adoption of
these methods is clearly prescribed. One should read Sai
Satcharita before sleeping everyday for this purpose,
so that one can keep Baba in his consciousness.

“Atma
chintan” means thinking on one's self. There must
be some time during the day when one can muse over what
one has read. One should consciously strive to find time
to think about the Master and His sayings. The intensity
of desire to read about the Master and to know about Him
slowly brings out the perfect love for the Master. Once
the love for the Perfect Master becomes unshakeable and
established in one's heart then anything can be achieved.
Satsang means being together and exchange of ideas with
similar minded people. When a mass of devotees pray intensely,
one can find pouring of divine blessing from the Master.
Therefore the importance of the temples is to be instruments
to encourage and provide a platform for group prayers.
The Aartis sung by groups in temples are indeed intended
to invoke the Master by a group of devotees. Therefore
Swadhayaya, Atma chintan and Satsang create the right
state of mind by evolving the required qualities of a
devotee as per the Master's wish.

You may have given many different gifts to your
friends and loved ones, but giving a subscription of "Heritage
of Shirdi Sai" magazine would be a unique gift as it connects
the people you love with SADGURU SHIRDI SAI and brings
His blessings with the gift.

Topic of Discussion feature is
intended to initiate useful discussions on topics
related to Shirdi Sai Philosophy and His teachings,
Guru Tradition, Teachings of the Sadguru,
the nature and functions of the Perfect Masters,
true devotion, qualification of a disciple, etc.

TOPIC OF DISCUSSION: SAI SATCHARITRA ON DUTY TOWARDS
ONES FAMILY AS TOLD BY BABA

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